Process for preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material having at least one densification aid including alumina, and the material resulting therefrom

ABSTRACT

A process for preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material, which process includes (a) comminuting a slurry of silicon powder, water, at least one densification aid, including Al 2  O 3 , and another densification aid, the comminuting performed to cause substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; and (b) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to form a dry mass. In another embodiment, at least one nitriding agent may be added to aid any nitridation which may be performed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to methods of preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material and more particularly relates to using silicon which has been chemically reacted with water, combined with one or more compounds which act as densification aids to help later processing. This application relates to co-pending applications entitled Process For Making Silicon Nitride Articles; New Ceramic Phase In Sintered Silicon Nitride Containing Cerium, Alumina, And Iron; Process For Preparing An Alpha-Phase Silicon Nitride Material And Thereafter Converting To Non-Densified Beta-Phase Material And The Material Resulting Therefrom; Process For Preparing A Densified Beta-Phase Silicon Nitride Material Having At Least One Densification Aid, And The Material Resulting Therefrom; Process For Nitriding Silicon-Containing Materials; and Process For Preparing A Base Nitridable Silicon-Containing Material And The Material Resulting Therefrom, filed on the same day herewith, the same are also incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Silicon nitride, with its high temperature strength, tribological properties, and chemical resistance is finding increasing interest and use in critically engineered applications, such as engine components, industrial pump components, cutting tools, and in refractory and electrical applications For some applications reaction bonded silicon nitride would be desirable, while for applications requiring higher strengths, sintered silicon nitride would be desirable.

Densification of reaction bonded silicon nitride by sintering is one method of manufacturing a sintered beta-phase silicon nitride. Provided that a high alpha phase content silicon nitride material is produced during the nitridation of silicon, and that sintering or densification aids have been incorporated into the silicon compact either before or after nitridation, it is possible to further densify the reaction bonded silicon compact by heating it to a normal sintering temperature range for silicon nitride.

Densification of silicon nitride occurs by the transformation of the alpha phase of silicon nitride into the beta phase of silicon nitride in the presence of a high temperature liquid phase, accompanied by about a 10-12 percent reduction in volume. The liquid phase promotes the conversion of the densified beta phase silicon nitride during the sintering or densification. It has been found that densification does not generally occur without liquid forming agents. When alpha-phase material is subjected to high temperatures, conversion may be directly to beta-phase material without changes in volume, and consequently no densification.

In the past there have been two major problems associated with the sintering of reaction bonded silicon nitride: (1) the requirement for a high percentage of alpha phase content within the starting material, and (2) the extensive time required for preparation and nitridation of the silicon powder. Typically, in order to manufacture a sinterable reaction bonded silicon nitride, very pure silicon has been ground and mixed dry with densification aids for long periods of time, upwards of 48 hours, and then nitrided for long times, on the order of hundreds of hours to weeks. Total fabrication times of 200 to 400 hours is not uncommon. Previously, impure silicon or fast nitriding rates resulted initially in high beta phase reaction bonded silicon nitride which will not densify during sintering. These factors have made it difficult to achieve commercial feasibility on a large scale.

Reaction bonded silicon nitride is commonly prepared by reacting and nitriding the silicon (either as a powder or as a formed article) with nitrogen by exposing the silicon to a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at temperatures of 1100° C. to about 1420° C. for times sufficient to produce the silicon nitride. It is not uncommon for the nitriding time in prior art methods to be 100-200 hours. It is normal for a small amount of nitriding aid (e.g., iron oxide or nickel oxide) to be initially mixed with the silicon powder to enhance the nitridation of the silicon during the nitriding step.

It is widely known that if common sintering or densification aids for silicon nitride (e.g., magnesium oxide, yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, rare earth oxides, etc.) are mixed in initially with the silicon powder, the reaction bonded silicon nitride article, provided it has a high alpha phase content, can be further heated immediately after nitriding to the higher sintering temperature and will thereby be sintered to increase its density and have improved mechanical properties as compared to the original reaction bonded silicon nitride article. The article can be hot pressed, hot isostatically pressed, pressure assisted sintered, or pressureless sintered, and may be covered with a cover powder during the sintering process to prevent any degradation. Boron nitride or silicon nitride, or mixtures thereof are commonly employed as a cover powder over the article during sintering to minimize the decomposition of the reaction bonded silicon nitride article. During sintering, the alpha phase of the silicon nitride material is converted to the beta phase of silicon nitride. Therefore, high levels of alpha phase silicon nitride need to be present in the pre-sintered reaction bonded silicon nitride to obtain the desired sintering response. In the past, it has been found that some methods produce a high beta phase material too early in the process to be useful.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,318 to Yamauchi et al. teaches a method of nitriding metallic silicon which lowers the ill effects of the oxidation of silicon nitride, in which the nitriding catalyst is (a) at least one primary substance selected from the group consisting of metallic vanadium, the inorganic compounds thereof, and mixtures thereof; or (b) that comprising (a) in which has been incorporated at least one secondary substance, selected from the group consisting of metallic cobalt, manganese, chromium, copper, nickel, iron, barium, and calcium and the inorganic compounds thereof. Yamauchi, et al. also teach a refractory article in which granular refractory material, such as alumina, is bonded with silicon nitride. The patent furthermore teaches that the oxides of the metals, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn and V, may likewise be used and that the quantity of these oxides is suitably 0.1-2 moles in terms of the metallic element to 100 moles of the silicon.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,895 to Mangels et al. teaches that sintered reaction bonded silicon nitride articles can be made by incorporation of a densification aid into the reaction bonded silicon nitride article, surrounding the article with a packing powder of silicon nitride and densification aid and subjecting the article and powder mixture to a temperature above 1700° C. with a nitrogen atmosphere of sufficient pressure to prevent volatilization of the silicon nitride for a time sufficient to permit sintering of the reaction bonded silicon nitride articles.

Several methods for introducing the densification aid into the reaction bonded silicon nitride article are disclosed in the above referenced Mangels et al. patent. These include (1) the impregnation of the densification aid into the reaction bonded silicon nitride article; (2) incorporation of the densification aid into the cover powder and then relying upon diffusion of that densification aid into the article at the sintering temperature; and (3) incorporation of the densification aid into the silicon powder mix prior to nitriding. The densification aids cited are magnesium oxide, yttrium oxide, cerium oxide, and zirconium oxide. The Mangels et al. patent also teaches that the nitrogen pressure at the sintering temperature may be in the range of 250 to 1500 psi.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,857, METHOD OF NITRIDING SILICON, to Mangels teaches that silicon can be nitrided using a demand nitriding cycle over the temperature range of 900° C. to 1420° C. in an atmosphere consisting of a mixture of nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. The chemical composition of the nitriding gas is constantly changing during the nitridation of the silicon article, with the chemical activity of the nitrogen decreasing (partial pressure of nitrogen in the furnace decreases) as the temperature increases. The examples cited by Mangles have nitriding times of from 130 to 175 hours.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,787 to Martinengo et al. teaches that sintered silicon nitride articles can be prepared by forming a silicon powder mixture containing one or more sintering additives into a compact, the additives being present in the powder in an amount such as to ensure an additive content of from 0.5 to 20 wt % in the silicon nitride compact; heating the compact under a nitrogen gas blanket at a temperature not exceeding 1500° C. to convert the silicon into reaction bonded silicon nitride; and sintering the reaction bonded silicon nitride compact by heating in a nitrogen gas atmosphere at a temperature of at least 1500° C. Furthermore, it is taught that the silicon powder size is from 0.1 to 44 microns in size and of high purity or containing only very small amounts of nitriding catalysts. The Martinengo et al. patent teaches that any conventional sintering additive may be used. Best results are said to be achieved by using MgO, and especially in combination with Y₂ O₃. Other preferred additives mentioned in the patent are MgO, Y₂ O₃, CeO₂, ZrO₂, BeO, Mg₃ N₂, and AlN. Other examples of additives are given as Mg₂ Si, MgAl₂ O₄, and rare earth additions such as La₂ O₃. Also iron can be used with advantage, usually in mixture with conventional additives such as MgO, Y₂ O₃, and CeO₂.

As a final example of sintered reaction bonded silicon nitride practice, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,394 to Ezis which teaches a method for making a fully densified silicon nitride body. The basic principle taught is that silicon nitride will not sinter by itself, but requires a liquid phase at the sintering temperature. Ezis found that, by having an yttrium oxynitride and alumino-silicate liquid phase present at sintering temperatures of 1650°-1750° C., the need for an over pressure of nitrogen and cover or packing powder during sintering could be eliminated in order to densify the silicon nitride.

The Ezis patent teaches that, by (1) forming a nitridable mixture of: silicon powder, SiO₂ (carried with the Si metal), Y₂ O₃ and Al₂ O₃ ; (2) nitriding the mixture to form a reaction bonded silicon nitride, with consequent formation of a Y₁₀ Si₆ O₂₄ N₂ phase, and an alumino-silicate which resides on the silicon nitride grains; and then (3) sintering in the 1650° to 1750° C. temperature range for 5-12 hours, a substantially fully densified silicon nitride is produced which exhibits a 4-point bending strength of 100,000 psi at room temperature.

The Ezis patent further teaches the need for a long ball milling time of 48 hours, preferably dry, a nitridation cycle time of 200 hours, and sintering times of 5-12 hours. Total processing time including the milling can be estimated from the preferred embodiment as approximately 260 hours.

Many of the densification aids mentioned above or others used in the past are relatively expensive, are not always readily available, and require relatively high sintering temperatures for effectiveness.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved process for making a body of nitridable silicon-containing material which can later be substantially densified which is more commercially viable than prior art methods, uses materials which are readily available, and is processable in substantially less time than typical prior art methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, these and other objects and advantages are addressed as follows. Methods are disclosed for preparing a silicon-containing material which is formed from less expensive and more readily available materials than prior art materials and which use considerably less processing time than those used in prior art methods.

A method is disclosed for preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material which includes comminuting a slurry including a mixture of silicon powder, water and various densification aids and their most effective volume percent values. The comminuting is performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water. Thereafter, the water content of the reacted slurry is reduced to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass.

A method for preparing such a silicon-containing material begins with comminuting (i) silicon powder, (ii) water, (iii) about 0.5 to 7 volume percent nitriding agents, (iv) about 0.1 to 7 volume percent of Al₂ O₃, and (v) 0.5 to 15 volume percent of a sintering or densification aid, such as Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, CeO₂ or other rare earth metal oxides, or metal non-oxides known to densify silicon nitride as more fully described herein below. All volume percents are based on the dry volume of the resultant dry mass. Examples of metal non-oxide sintering aids include silicate and magnesium nitrate. A dispersing agent, such as Darvan No 1 or 6, a registered trademark of the R.T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc. may be added initially to aid the comminution. For this invention, it is desired to achieve a total of 4 to 16 volume percent nitriding and densification additives, based on the final volume of the resultant dry mass. The proper level of densification and nitriding additives is important to ultimately achieve a favorable sintered silicon nitride article. Comminution of the operative chemical compounds with water is conducted for a period of 1 to 5 hours, to produce a silicon based slurry.

Organic additives such as binders, plasticizers, viscosity modifiers, and dispersing agents may be added to the slurry toward the end of the comminution. The slurry is then aged for a period of 12 to 24 hours to allow the reaction of the silicon with the water to substantially reach completion which is believed to provide a silicon oxyhydride coating on the silicon. The aged slurry is then dried by spray drying or any other suitable technique and formed into a green body, if desired, such as by compaction of the spray-dried granules. Slip casting of the original slip, extrusion, injection molding or any other known method for forming green ceramic bodies may likewise be employed.

In yet another embodiment of this present invention, the densification aid or alumina powder may be added after the silicon powder and water have been comminuted. The addition may take place before the aging step or after. The densification aid may be added at any time during the procedure before the step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry form a dry mass. It is not necessary for the alumina powder or densification aid to be comminuted with the silicon powder and the water.

Preferably, the method of preparing the article for sintering is that disclosed in two copending U.S. patent applications, the first being U.S. patent application Ser. No. 135,864, "Process For Making Silicon Nitride Articles" filed on Dec. 21, 1987, and the second being a patent application entitled "PROCESS FOR MAKING DENSIFIED BETA-PHASE SILICON NITRIDE ARTICLES OR POWDER" filed on the same day herewith. Both co-pending applications are commonly assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and both co-pending patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The processes of this invention generally include a process for preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material, as well as the material made therefrom. The material may be made in the form of a powder or an article. The process includes comminuting a slurry including a mixture of silicon powder, water, and densification aids, the comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon powder and the water, and thereafter reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass.

In addition, at least one nitriding agent may be added at about 0.5 to 7 volume percent based upon the volume of the resultant dry mass to aid in any later nitriding process. The at least one nitriding agent may be selected from the group consisting of iron oxides, lead oxides, nickel carbonyl, nickel oxides, silicon carbide, graphite, carbon, aluminum oxides, Fe₂ O₃, NiO, CoO, CaF, PbO, Li₂ O, Na₂ O, K₂ O, BaO, BN, albite (NaAlSi₃ O₈), orthclase (KAlSi₃ O₈), anorthite (CaAl₂ Si₂ O₈), nepheline syenite, talc, borax, soda ash, Pb₃ O₄, alpha-phase Si₃ N₄ and mixtures thereof.

From about 0.1 to about 14 volume percent of at least one densification aid may be added to the original slurry combination of silicon powder and water, added to aid in subsequent sintering, if it is performed. It is preferred to include Al₂ O₃, or alumina with at least one additional densification aid, the densification aid being selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, Sc₂ O₃, CeO₂, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₃, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof. In this method, it is preferable to have the at least one nitriding agent and the densification aids being employed in amounts to achieve about a total of 4 to 16 volume percent based on the volume of the resultant dry mass to achieve the preferred results. The slurry components are preferably employed in amounts such that the slurry contains about 10 to about 60 volume percent solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent water, where the total volume percent equals 100 percent, while the solids consist of silicon powder, the at least one nitriding agent, the densification aid, and any other solid additives.

In yet another embodiment of this present invention, the densification aid may be added after the silicon powder and water have been comminuted. The addition may take place before the aging step or after. The densification aid may be added at any time during the procedure before the step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry forms a dry mass. It is not necessary for the densification aid to be comminuted with the silicon powder and the water.

The process of this invention relating to the making of powders and bodies generally begins with comminuting silicon powder with sintering and/or densification aids and nitriding agents in the presence of a large amount of water to form a slurry. The slurry components are employed in amounts such that the mixture consists of 10-60 volume % solids and 90 to 40 volume % water, wherein the solids consist of silicon powder, nitriding agents, densification aids and any other solid additives. The silicon powder may be commercial-grade and preferably has a particle size of less than 20 micrometers. The composition of the slurry solids is chosen so that about a 4 to 16 volume percent of nitriding and densification additives, based on the final volume of the resultant dry mass is achieved.

The preferred densification aids of the present process include aluminum oxide, commonly called alumina, in combination with one or more rare earth oxides, and, more preferably, with cerium oxide (CeO₂), commonly call ceria, and rare earth oxides. The elements considered as rare earth elements are Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, La₂ O₃ and other known densification aids may also be used. The preferred additional densification aids may be selected from the group consisting of Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, Sc₂ O₃, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₅, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof. The aluminum oxide is preferably employed in amounts of about 0.1 to 5.0 volume percent based upon the final volume of the resultant dry mass and the rare earth oxide and/or other densification aid component is preferably employed in amounts of about 0.1 to 15 volume percent based on the final volume of the resultant dry mass.

The preferred nitriding agents are selected from the group consisting of iron oxides, lead oxides, nickel carbonyl, nickel oxides, silicon carbide, graphite, carbon, aluminum oxides, Fe₂ O₃, NiO, CoO, CaF, PbO, Li₂ O, Na₂ O, K₂ O, BaO, BN, albite (NaAlSi₃ O₈), orthclase (KAlSi₃ 0₈), anorthite (CaAl₂ Si₂ O₈) , nepheline syenite, talc, borax, soda ash, Pb₃ O₄, alpha-phase Si₃ N₄ and mixtures thereof. The nitriding agents are used in an amount from about 0.1 to 7 volume percent based upon the final volume of the resultant dry mass.

For comminuting, any suitable comminution device may be used such as a ball mill, rod mill, vibratory grinder, Union Process grinder, jet mill, cone grinder, jaw crusher, and hammer mill. The slurry is preferably prepared in a ball mill which is 25-50 volume % filled with milling media and 25-50 volume % filled with the slurry.

The comminuting of the silicon in the presence of water is an important step, as the comminuting creates fresh, unoxidized surfaces on the silicon powder particles for vigorous reaction with the water. Merely mixing silicon powder, whether or not pre-ground, with water does not appear to create the fast, vigorous reaction that comminuting provides. Pre-ground silicon powder is not as reactive toward water because silicon, being a highly reactive metal, readily oxidizes in air during storage. Thus, a passivating layer of silicon oxide is formed on the outside of the silicon particles, thereby rendering the silicon not nearly as reactive as unoxidized silicon such as is created during the comminution step.

After comminuting, the slurry is allowed to react further by aging the slurry. It is believed that the silicon is chemically reacting with the water during the aging step to form a silicon oxyhydrate coating on the silicon particles and also releasing hydrogen gas as a product of the reaction. During aging, the slip appears to increase in volume by at least 50%, typically doubling its volume through frothing, and, subsequently, the frothing subsides after about 12 hours as the reaction nears completion and the slip develops thixotropic properties.

After aging, the reacted slurry is dried and formed, if desired, in preparation for a subsequent nitriding step. Although the slurry could be slip cast at this point to form a green body or dried for use in extrusion or injection molding of shapes, it is preferred to spray dry the slip to obtain a homogeneous free-flowing powder for isopressing or dry compression forming using standard powder metal presses. If binders are used, the compact will have a sufficient strength to allow machining without the need for special heat treatments by partially nitriding or sintering the silicon compact. Preferably, required machining is completed on the silicon green body prior to nitriding, rather than on the harder silicon nitride part.

Thus, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a method for preparing a nitridable silicon-containing material which uses materials that are less expensive and more readily available than prior art materials.

The following examples are illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the invention which is properly delineated in the appended claims.

EXAMPLES

The following examples illustrate the use of various nitriding agents and densification aids with the silicon powder. Some examples describe the combination of iron oxide, yttria, and alumina as the liquid forming agents as described below.

EXAMPLE 1

Three kilograms of commercial-grade silicon (99% silicon minimum) of size 2.03 Fisher Average Diameter was comminuted with 90 grams iron oxide (Fe₂ O₃), 300 grams yttria (Y₂ O₃), 100 grams of alumina (Al₂ O₃), and 2500 milliliters of distilled water. Comminution was continued for 4 hours in an 11.3 liter porcelain jar mill with 7 kilograms of 3/4 inch alumina balls. The mill was vented hourly to prevent excessive pressure build-up in the mill. At the conclusion of the comminuting period, 45 grams of polyvinyl alcohol, 15 grams of polyethylene glycol, 30 grams of glycerol, and 7.5 grams of xanthan gum were added to the mill and comminution continued for an additional hour, so that the silicon was comminuted with the distilled water for a total time of 5 hours. The slurry was separated from the milling balls and allowed to age for 16 hours. The aged slurry was spray-dried to a free-flowing powder using a PENTRONIX dryer with an atomizer wheel speed of 8000 rpm, an inlet temperature of 275° C. and an outlet temperature of 100° C. Total drying time was approximately 1 hour. This powder, upon nitridation, was calculated to have approximately 6.15 volume % liquid forming agents and 93.9% volume % silicon nitride as computed in the following example calculations: ##EQU1##

Total Volume of Liquid Forming Agents

    17.2 cc Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 +59.9 cc Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 +25.2 cc Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 =102.3 cc Liquid Forming Agents

Total Volume of Si₃ N₄ and Liquid Forming Agents

    1562.5 cc Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 +102.3 cc Liquid Forming Agents=1664.8 cc

Thus the volume percentage of liquid and the volume percentage of each constituent is calculated as follows: ##EQU2##

The spray-dried powder was consolidated into modulus of rupture (MOR) bars having dimensions of approximately 0.140 inches by 0.375 inches by 3.5 inches. These bars were shortened to 2.25 inches prior to nitriding. The bars were then placed in a nitriding furnace, which was evacuated to remove the ambient atmosphere. Then the furnace was backfilled with hydrogen gas, which was also flowed continuously through the furnace. The temperature of the furnace was raised from room temperature to 1000° C. over approximately a 2-hour period at a linear rate. At approximately 1000° C., the hydrogen atmosphere was first replaced by nitrogen, and then replaced by a nitriding atmosphere which consisted approximately of a mixture of 50 mole % helium, 2 mole % hydrogen, and 48 mole % nitrogen gases. After holding the temperature at 1000° C. for one hour, the temperature was linearly raised to 1410° C. over a 35-hour period, ending with an additional 1-hour hold at 1410° C. Nitrogen gas was automatically added to the furnace to maintain the nitrogen concentration, as the nitrogen was consumed by the silicon during the conversion of the silicon to silicon nitride. The bars were then cooled to room temperature.

Ten (10) of the MOR bars were placed on reaction bonded silicon nitride (RBSN) supports, in an RBSN setter boat and covered with silicon nitride powder which contained yttria (Y₂ O₃). The setter boat was covered with reaction bonded silicon nitride plates to prevent reaction with the atmosphere of the sintering furnace. The setter boat containing the bars was placed in a graphite furnace which had been evacuated and purged with argon under vacuum. The furnace temperature was increased from room temperature to a temperature of 1420° C. over a 2-hour time period. At approximately 700° C., the vacuum was replaced with a nitrogen atmosphere at a pressure of approximately 40 psig. The temperature was further increased to 1740° C. over an additional 5 hours and held at 1740° C. for 4 hours. The bars were then cooled to room temperature over an 8-hour time period.

The 10 bars were ground into test bars by Bomas Machine Specialties, Sommerville, Mass., and then tested in 4-point bending at Coors Analytical Laboratories, Golden, Colo. The test results are shown as Example 1 in Table I.

EXAMPLE 2

Using the spray-dried powder of Example 1, six modulus of rupture bars were prepared by die pressing. The modulus of rupture bars were then nitrided by placing them in a furnace and increasing the temperature of the furnace linearly from room temperature to 1000° C. in 2 hours, while flowing hydrogen through the furnace.

Once the furnace temperature reached 1000° C., the atmosphere in the furnace was replaced was replaced with a nitriding gas of 50 mole % He, 2 mole % H₂ and 48 mole % N₂. The furnace temperature was then held at 1000° C. for 1 hour, then, linearly, the temperature was increased from 1000° C. to 1354° C. over 24 hours. The furnace temperature was held at 1354° C. for 7 hours, then allowed to cool to room temperature. The bars were then reheated in the nitriding furnace from room temperature to 1300° C. over a 2 hour period under an atmosphere of 50 mole % He, 2 mole % H₂, and 48 mole % N₂. The furnace temperature was then increased to 1435° C. using a linear temperature ramp over a 91/2-hour period, with a temperature hold at 1435° C. for 1 hour before cooling to room temperature.

The 6 MOR bars were packed in an RBSN setter and covered with silicon nitride cover powder which contained yttria, and the assembly was covered with an RBSN plate. This assembly was heated under vacuum in a graphite furnace from room temperature to 1340° C. over a 2-hour period. The furnace was purged three times with argon while the furnace was at room temperature and purged twice with argon during the initial heating or the furnace. At approximately 1400° C., the furnace was pressurized to 40 psig with nitrogen gas, and remained pressurized until the conclusion of the sintering cycle. The furnace temperature was raised linearly from 1340° C. to 1810° C. over a 5-hour period and held at 1810° C. for 21/2 hours. Then the furnace was cooled to room temperature over a 5-hour period. The MOR bars were easily removed from the cover powder and were then ground into test bars by Bomas Machine Specialties. Six bars were tested in 4-point bending at Coors Analytical Laboratories, with the results given as Example 2 in Table I.

EXAMPLE 3

1000 grams of silicon, 30 grams of iron oxide (Fe₂ O₃), 40 grams alumina (Al₂ O₃), 200 grams of 96% ceria (Molycorp grade 5310 CeO₂) and 1000 milliliters of distilled water were comminuted in an 11.3 liter porcelain jar mill using 7 kg of 3/4 inch diameter alumina balls for 3 hours. Then organic binders and viscosity modifiers consisting of 15 grams of polyvinyl alcohol, 5 grams of polyethylene glycol, 10 grams of glycerol, and 2.5 grams of xanthan gum and 270 ml of distilled water were added to the mill, and comminution was continued for an additional hour before the slurry was separated from the balls. Total comminution time of the silicon with the water was 4 hours. Two additional batches of the silicon-ceria-iron oxide-alumina-water slurry were prepared in an identical manner, and the slurries were combined and allowed to age for approximately 16 hours. The combined slurries were then spray-dried to obtain a free-flowing granular powder using a Pentronix Dryer, operated at a rotor speed of 8200-8300 rpm, an inlet temperature of 295° C., and an outlet temperature of 90° C. This powder, upon nitridation, was expected to have approximately 7.7 volume % liquid forming agents and 92.3 volume % silicon nitride as computed in the following example calculations: ##STR1##

Total Volume of Liquid Forming Agents

    17.2 cc Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 +83.4 cc Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3 +30.3 cc Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 =130.9 cc Liquid Forming Agents

Total Volume of Si₃ N₄ and Liquid Forming Agents

    1562.5 cc Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 +130.9 cc Liquid Forming Agents=1693.4 cc ##EQU3##

The ceria used was about 96% pure ceria and about 4% other rare earth oxides, principally lanthanum oxide (typically about 3%) and neodymium oxide (typically about 1.5%). Since these oxides would also constitute appropriate liquid forming agents and have densities similar to ceria, the slight error incurred by ignoring their presence was considered negligible.

The spray-dried powder was then pressed into modulus of rupture (MOR) test bars of dimension 0.375 inches by 0.170 inches by 3.5 inches using an industry-standard powder metal press. The bars were subsequently cut to approximately 2.5 inches prior to nitriding.

The 2.5-inch bars were then placed in a nitriding furnace which was evacuated to remove the ambient atmosphere. The furnace was then backfilled with hydrogen gas, which also flowed continuously through the furnace. The temperature of the furnace was raised from room temperature to 1000° C. over approximately 2 hours at a linear rate. At approximately 860° C., the hydrogen atmosphere was replaced by a nitrogen purge, and then the furnace was evacuated until 1000° C. was reached. At 1000° C., a nitriding atmosphere consisting of approximately 50 mole % helium, 2 mole % hydrogen, and 48 mole % nitrogen was used to fill the furnace. The temperature was increased linearly from 1000° C. to 1440° C. over a 32-hour period, with an additional 1-hour hold at 1440° C.

During nitridation, nitrogen gas was automatically added to the furnace as needed to maintain the original nitrogen concentration because nitrogen was consumed by the silicon during the conversion of the silicon to silicon nitride. The bars were then cooled to room temperature.

Eight of the MOR bars were placed in a reaction bonded silicon nitride setter box of the type described in the co-pending application "Use of RBSN Setters For The Sintering Of Silicon Nitride Ceramics As An Alternative For Cover Powder". The MOR bars were supported on RBSN supports within the setter boxes, and no cover powder was employed. The box with the MOR bars was placed in a graphite furnace. Several purges of the furnace with nitrogen gas was then performed. The furnace was then heated under vacuum to 500° C., and nitrogen gas was flowed at a very slow rate through the furnace so that the pressure in the furnace was maintained at approximately atmospheric for the rest of the sintering cycle. The heating of the furnace from room temperature to 1730° C. was accomplished at a linear rate over a 3-hour period. The furnace temperature was then held constant at 1730° C. for 4 hours, and allowed to cool to room temperature over a 3-hour period. The sintered bars were removed from the RBSN setter box and showed no tendency to adhere to the RBSN supports in the box. The MOR bars were sent to Bomas Machine Specialties for grinding into test bars, which were tested in 4-point MOR at Coors Analytical Laboratories. The test results are shown in Table I as Example 3.

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                                 Density    M.O.R.     MOR      # of                                    Example Avg. (gm/cc)                                                                              Avg (Kpsi) Range (Kpsi)                                                                            Bars                                    ______________________________________                                         1       3.17       59.6       52.5-68.9                                                                               10                                      2       3.16       68.4       51.3-77.2                                                                               6                                       3       3.31       68         64-78    8                                       ______________________________________                                    

While our invention has been described in terms of a few specific examples and configurations, it will be appreciated that other forms could readily be adapted by one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of our invention is to be considered limited only by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, (ii) water, (iii) alumina powder, and (iv) at least one additional densification aid other than alumina, wherein the slurry contains about 10 to about 60 volume percent solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent water, where the total volume percent equals 100 percent and wherein said alumina powder and the at least one additional densification aid are employed in amounts to achieve a total 4 to 16 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein said alumina powder is included in the slurry at about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 3. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least one additional densification aid is selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, Sc₂ O₃, CeO₂, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₅, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof.
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional densification aid is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 14 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 5. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 6. The process of claim 1, further comprising reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 7. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, (ii) water, (iii) alumina powder, and (iv) a ceria powder, wherein the slurry contains about 10 to about 60 volume percent solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent water, where the total volume percent equals 100 percent and wherein said alumina and ceria are employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water.
 8. The process of claim 7, wherein said alumina is included in the slurry and about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 9. The process of claim 7, wherein said ceria is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 15 volume percent of the resulting dry mass.
 10. The process of claim 7, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 11. The process of claim 7, further comprising reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 12. The process of claim 11, wherein said reduction in water content is accomplished by slip casting.
 13. The process of claim 7, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by spray drying.
 14. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, (ii) water, (iii) at least one nitriding agent; (iv) alumina powder, and (v) at least one additional densification aid other than alumina, wherein the slurry contains about 10 to about 60 volume percent solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent water, where the total volume percent equals 100 percent and wherein said at least one nitriding agent, alumina, and at least one additional densification aid are employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water.
 15. The process of claim 14, wherein said at least one nitriding agent is selected from the group consisting of iron oxides, lead oxides, nickel carbonyl, nickel oxides, silicon carbide, graphite, carbon, aluminum oxides, Fe₂ O₃, NiO, CoO, CaF, PbO, Li₂ O, Na₂ O, K₂ O, BaO, BN, albite (NaAlSi₃ O₈), orthclase (KAlSi₃ O₈), anorthite (CaAl₂ Si₂ O₈), nepheline syenite, talc, borax, soda ash, Pb₃ O₄, alpha-phase Si₃ N₄ and mixtures thereof.
 16. The process of claim 14, wherein said at least one nitriding agent is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 7 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 17. The process of claim 14, wherein said alumina is included in the slurry at about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 18. The process of claim 14, wherein said at least one additional densification aid is selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, Sc₂ O₃, CeO₂, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₅, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof.
 19. The process of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional densification aid is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 15 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 20. The process of claim 14, further comprising reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 21. The process of claim 20, wherein said reduction in water content is accomplished by slip casting.
 22. The process of claim 14, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by spray drying.
 23. The process of claim 14, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 24. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, (ii) water, (iii) at least one nitriding agent, (iv) alumina powder, (v) at least one additional densification aid other than alumina powder, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina, and the at least one additional densification aid being employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent of both at least one nitriding agent and densification aids based on the volume of the resulting dry mass, the slurry components being employed in amounts such that the slurry contains about 10 to 60 volume percent of solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent of water, and the solids consist of silicon powder, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina powder, and the at least one additional densification aid, said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (b) aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing; and (c) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may then be nitrided.
 25. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) between about 10 to 60 volume percent of silicon powder, and (ii) between about 40 and 90 volume percent of water, (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (c) adding at least one densification aid to the comminuted slurry, wherein said at least one densification aid is employed in an amount to achieve a total 4 to 16 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (d) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 26. The process of claim 25, wherein said at least one densification aid is selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, CeO₂, Sc₂ O₃, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₅, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, Al₂ O₃, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof.
 27. The process of claim 26, wherein said at least one densification aid is Al₂ O₃ included in the slurry at about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 28. The process of claim 25, wherein the at least one densification aid is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 15 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 29. The process of claim 25, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 30. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) between about 10 to 60 volume percent of silicon powder, (ii) between about 40 and 90 volume percent water, (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (c) adding at least two densification aids, including alumina and ceria to the comminuted slurry, wherein said alumina and ceria are employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (d) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 31. The process of claim 30, wherein said alumina is included in the slurry at about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 32. The process of claim 30, wherein said ceria is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 15 volume percent of the resulting dry mass.
 33. The process of claim 30, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 34. The process of claim 27, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by spray drying.
 35. The process of claim 27, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by slip casting.
 36. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) between about 10 to 60 volume percent of silicon powder, and (ii) between about 40 and 90 volume percent of water, (b) said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (c) adding at least one nitriding agent and at least one densification aid to the comminuted slurry, wherein the at least one nitriding agent and the at least one densification aid are employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass; and (d) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may thereafter be nitrided.
 37. The process of claim 36, wherein said at least one nitriding agent is selected from the group consisting of iron oxides, lead oxides, nickel carbonyl, nickel oxides, silicon carbide, graphite, carbon, aluminum oxides, Fe₂ O₃, NiO, CoO, CaF, PbO, Li₂ O, Na₂ O, K₂ O, BaO, BN, albite (NaAlSi₃ O₈), orthclase (KAlSi₃ O₈), anorthite (CaAl₂ Si₂ O₈), nepheline syenite, talc, borax, soda ash, Pb₃ O₄, alpha-phase Si₃ N₄ and mixtures thereof.
 38. The process of claim 36, wherein said at least one nitriding agent is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 7 volume percent based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 39. The process of claim 36, wherein said at least one additional densification aid is selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, Y₂ O₃, MgO, ZrO₂, LaO₃, TiO₂, BaO, SrO, Ceo₂, Sc₂ O₃, B₂ O₃, BeO, Cr₂ O₃, CaO, V₂ O₅, MnO₂, MgN, AlN, Al₂ O₃, MgSi, MgAl₂ O₄, and mixtures thereof.
 40. The process of claim 36, wherein said at least one densification aid is Al₂ O₃ which is included in the slurry at about 0.1 to 7 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 41. The process of claim 36, wherein the at least one additional densification aid is included in the slurry at about 0.5 to 15 volume percent, based on the volume of the resulting dry mass.
 42. The process of claim 36, further comprising a step of aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing.
 43. The process of claim 36, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by spray drying.
 44. The process of claim 36, wherein said step of reducing the water content of the reacted slurry is accomplished by slip casting.
 45. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, and (ii) water, said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (b) adding at least one nitriding agent, alumina powder as a densification aid, and at least one additional densification aid other than alumina powder to the comminuted slurry, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina, and the at least one additional densification aid being employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent of both at least one nitriding agent and densification aids based on the volume of the resulting dry mass, the slurry components being employed in amounts such that the slurry contains about 10 to 60 volume percent of solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent of water, and the solids substantially consist of silicon powder, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina powder, and the at least one additional densification aid, (c) aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing; and (d) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may then be nitrided.
 46. A process for preparing a silicon-containing material capable of being later nitrided into a silicon nitride material, comprising:(a) comminuting a slurry including a mixture of(i) silicon powder, and (ii) water, said comminuting being performed to form fresh, non-oxidized surfaces on the silicon powder and to allow substantial chemical reaction between the silicon and the water; (b) aging the comminuted slurry in the absence of comminuting for a period of time sufficient to allow the chemical reaction to substantially reach completion, as indicated by the substantial subsiding of frothing; and (c) adding at least one nitriding agent, alumina powder as a densification aid, and at least one additional densification aid other than alumina powder, to the comminuted slurry, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina, and the at least one additional densification aid being employed in amounts to achieve about a total 4 to 16 volume percent of both at least one nitriding agent and densification aids based on the volume of the resulting dry mass, the slurry components being employed in amounts such that the slurry contains about 10 to 60 volume percent of solids and about 90 to 40 volume percent of water, and the solids substantially consist of silicon powder, the at least one nitriding agent, the alumina powder, and the at least one additional densification aid, (d) reducing the water content of the reacted slurry to a degree sufficient to form a dry mass which may then be nitrided. 